So Al walks into a bar…

Aluminum alloys have been used in the aerospace industry since the 1930s. One of the attributes of aluminum that makes it perfect for the construction of airplanes is that it can be manufactured at a reasonably low cost while maintaining high performance. It is the most readily chosen option for support structure, fuselage, and wing components. The advances in these alloys ensure their wide use will be continued in the future as aircraft evolve.

Aluminum Alloy 2024 has high strength and is known for its fatigue resistance. It is used in the aerospace industry in demanding applications that require a high strength-to-weight ratio such as aircraft structural components or fittings. It is also commonly used in wing and fuselage structures that are under a lot of tension. In bar form, it is cold finished with good machinability and can be welded through friction welding.

Alloy 6061 combines great corrosion resistance with good design and finishing characteristics. It has a high strength to weight ratio and is very light, making it perfect for large aircraft parts like wings and fuselage. It has good machinability, weldability with filler material, and is easily cold worked and formed in the annealed condition.

Alloy 7075 shows superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking. It has good machinability though arc welding is not recommended. However, flash welding can be used. It is preferred for highly stressed structural parts because of its exceptional strength.

Aluminum’s corrosion resistance in both atmospheric and seawater environments as well as its light weight make it a perfect material for expanding use in the aerospace industry. More aerospace companies are choosing aluminum initially for its physical properties but also for its future ease to repair. Our aluminum bar has excellent weldability and can be readily formed. We can provide all your general and aerospace bar needs cut to size and delivered in days, avoiding mill minimum quantities and long lead times.

Sunshine Metals is a world-class supplier of specialty metals and custom supply chain services for marine and defense applications. We provide near net shapes, semi-finished products, and just in time kitting from our expansive inventories of plate, rod, bar, and forgings. Call us with all of your marine requirements and experience how Sunshine Metals positively impacts your supply chain!